Learning New Abilities is Never Easy

Beginnings and Changes

Today I take a look at abilities in both games and comics and how things can really get messed up when you’re learning what exactly someone can do. For today’s comic entry, young Clark Kent is trying to figure out what this flying thing is all about. I suppose it’s not really flying in this issue but since he’s not a bird or a plane he’s gotta figure out how to do things kinda on his own.
That’s also the way I feel thins are gonna go in Neverwinter Online. This game is one of the few that I’ve actually attained max level in and I enjoyed my ride as an Oathbound Paladin. Word has it though that there are significant changes to all of the classes in the latest update. While they’re opening the level cap another 10 levels, they’re also adjusting all the stats and abilities and from what I’ve heard, I’m gonna have to start worrying about resource management.

So Many Changes

Undermountain, module 16 of Neverwinter Online brings some huge changes to the game. So many, not only do I not know where to start but I haven’t even read about all of them yet. I suppose I’ll focus on my main character, the Oathbound Paladin which from the looks of things is not gonna have to change identities as many of the other classes seem to be doing but there are some significant updates.

Apparently there is going to be a bigger distinction between a healing Paladin called an Oathkeeper and a tanking Paladin called a Justicar…and I’m afraid the reputation of Paladins as impossible to kill is gonna disappear. It seems many of the abilities are now gonna be tied into Divine Magic that costs Divinity to cast. This means that instead of dealing with cooldowns as much we’ll be dealing more with essentially mana management.

I’m sure the class changes will bring some exciting new opportunities and some great chances to mess up with the new builds but I guess I am looking forward to relearning the game. I suppose since I go for months in between playing, perhaps the changes won’t be as dramatic but I hope they make the game fresh and fun to play as I level up to the new level cap of 80.

Who knows, with the class changes perhaps I’ll roll up a new character to get the full leveling experience.

How to Train your Superman

Superman: American Alien #1 Dove by Max Landis, Matthew Clark, and Nick Dragotta.  Published by DC Comics, 2015.

This is a fun first issue that sees a young Clark Kent coming into his powers. How do you learn to fly when no one on the planet can do it themselves, much less teach you how? When you’re strong enough to punch holes in buildings how to you deal with the frustrations of a pre-teen? And how do you protect your parents when they try to hold onto you as you rise uncontrollably into the sky?

From the way this first issue handles things I think Max Landis has a great idea of how to depict the trials of a young superhero coming into his powers and I’d say I enjoyed this Read.

It’s a Wrap

Learning abilities new and old can really be a difficult experience. For Superheroes I always kinda take it for granted that these guys learn pretty quickly what they need to do to shoot their laser beams, stretch, or punch through walls, but for a kid to learn how to fly I can only imagine it would be more difficult than a bird jumping out of their nest for the first time. So I’d have to say that would definitely be more difficult than me learning how to play my Paladin again. Sure, my keystrokes will be different but then again I was never really skilled in the first place…which is why I chose the undying paladin as my main character.

Oh well, I think both opportunities to learn abilities will prove fun and enjoyable. I’ll jump into the game and figure things out soon enough and for the comic, I’m looking forward to seeing how young Clark grows up and into his well known powers.

Ramble #11 | Learning New Abilities is Never Easy